


The Robber Baron

by pigeonking



Series: The Missing Doctor Adventures - Season One [4]
Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Adventure, F/M, Historical, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-09
Updated: 2017-03-09
Packaged: 2018-10-01 14:50:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10192337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pigeonking/pseuds/pigeonking
Summary: This is my sequel to my favourite Doctor Who story of all time... The Time Warrior!





	

“This sheep has been dead a year!” Baron Vilayne spat contemptuously, “Are you trying to poison me?”

Bloodaxe squinted at the dead sheep he was holding aloft in front of his new captain and then back towards the powerful imposing man that sat upon the throne before him.

“I killed it last night, Captain.” Bloodaxe assured him. “’Tis just old is all. You’ll get some good mutton out of her I’ll warrant you.”

Vilayne sniffed at the forlorn looking sheep’s carcass dangling in front of him.

“Aye I suppose you might be right at that. Take it to the kitchens and see what the wenches can make of it!” he ordered bluntly.

“Right away, Captain!” Bloodaxe almost saluted with the hand holding the sheep, but stopped himself just in time.

“Stick with me, Bloodaxe and I’ll make you more prosperous than old Irongron ever would have done!” the Baron called after him as he turned to leave.

Bloodaxe bristled inwardly, but held his tongue. It still didn’t sit well with him that he had been forced to swear allegiance to a new master. He had loved old Irongron like a brother and one day he hoped to make his new master pay for his ill-chosen words.

As Bloodaxe made to leave the great hall his exit was stayed by a cry of awe from his master behind him.

“Do you see that, Bloodaxe? Through yon window! A star is falling!” Vilayne called.

Bloodaxe turned and looked at the window in time to see a bright white flaring light drifting down through the black night sky into the forest below.

“Here we go again!” he muttered to himself darkly.

 

“So come on, Sly, what did you think of your first trip in the TARDIS?” the Doctor asked.

He and Clover were down on their knees before their little foxy friend as the time rotor on the console rose and fell steadily indicating their flight through the vortex. They were both eager to hear the verdict of their vulpine surrogate son.

“Well, it was alright I suppose.” Sly replied, his little furry head cocked thoughtfully. “The bacon was nice.”

“The bacon was nice?” the Doctor stood up and pretended to bash his head repeatedly against a nearby roundel. “We went to an alien planet. Met three different species of alien life. And all you can give me is that the bacon… was nice?”

“Well it was!” Sly insisted defensively.

“Leave him alone, Doctor. It was his first time. So what if the stand out moment for him was the fact that he got to eat a whole tray full of bacon to himself? He’s a fox. He has different priorities to you and me!” Clover pointed out.

“Yes, I suppose you’re right.” The Doctor agreed. “I know!” he brightened with a wave of his finger.

“Why don’t we take you on a little jaunt into Earth’s history? I bet you’ll enjoy that!”

Before anyone could reply the Doctor threw himself at the console and began to lay in co-ordinates.

“I believe I know just the time as well. We’re bound to get a warm welcome when we arrive here!” he declared with an air of certainty.

Sly bounded to his feet and ran to the Doctor’s side, his bushy tail wagging with excitement.

“Will there be more bacon?”

 

In an empty clearing of the forests that surrounded the castle of Sir Edward of Wessex a blue police telephone box slowly imprinted itself upon the tall, overgrown grass, emitting a high pitched howling and grinding noise as it tore its way out of the vortex and into the middle ages.

A short while after its arrival the TARDIS’s door opened and the Doctor, Clover and Sly emerged.

Sly was immediately impressed to see that they were in the middle of a forest.

“Oh yes! This definitely seems more like Sly’s thing.” He grinned.

“I’m glad you approve.” The Doctor replied, happy to have pleased the young fox.

“What do you think?” Clover asked them, “Robin Hood?” Her catsuit blurred and was replaced by a rather fetching leafy green leather tunic, complete with a jaunty hat that had a white feather sticking out of it. The britches were rather tight and accentuated her legs elegantly.

“Or Maid Marian?” the nano-fabric shifted again and became a stunningly beautiful medieval maiden’s dress woven from sapphire blue silk and with a plunging neckline that complimented her bosom much the same way that the britches had complimented her legs.

The Doctor’s eyes widened and he became somewhat transfixed by Clover’s alluring appeal in the lovely dress.

“Well…” he cleared his throat, “Both are very nice indeed. I don’t see why you can’t flit between the two depending on what the situation calls for. Why not go with the Robin Hood for now though?”

Clover didn’t fail to notice the Doctor’s reaction and blushed with pleasure at the effect she had on him.

“Robin Hood it is.” She said and the fabric flitted back to the leaf green tunic.

The Doctor pulled the door of the TARDIS shut.

“Right.” He continued. “Now to find Sir Edward’s castle. I think it might be this way.”

And so they set off in an easterly direction unaware that eyes were watching them.

“So how do you know this Sir Edward anyway? Or how did the original Doctor know him, I should say?” Clover wondered.

“Apparently I once helped him end the reign of tyranny of a local robber baron named Irongron who had acquired advanced weapons from his alliance with a stranded Sontaran warrior called Linx. It was rather a jolly adventure if my memories are anything to go by and I, or rather he, was travelling with a very lovely young girl called Sarah Jane Smith!” the Doctor explained to her.

“Yes, I heard you mention that name a few times when your memories were coming together at Allen Road.” Clover replied through gritted teeth and she mentally rebuked herself for her irrational jealousy of the ‘lovely’ Miss Smith.

“I met a Sontaran once.” She continued, hastily changing the subject.

“Oh yes?” the Doctor said.

“It was back during my days as a thief in Icarus City on Demeter VI. His name was Okchov and he worked as an enforcer for one of the local mob bosses. He’d been disgraced back on Sontar and kicked out of his squadron. Being a criminal heavy gave him an outlet for all that violence that Sontarans are so fond of.” Clover explained.

“And how did you end up meeting such a charming individual?” the Doctor smirked.

“I robbed his boss once and he was sent after me to recover the stolen goods.” Clover told him.

“Well obviously he never caught you.” The Doctor observed. “How did you beat him?”

“My parents were rich so I wasn’t a thief because I needed the money. It was more of a thrill seeking thing. Okchov found me during one of my penthouse heists while I still had the gear on me that I’d stolen from his boss. I escaped from him that time by freefalling out of the window and losing him in the streets below. After that I realised that there was a tracking device in the item I’d stolen which he was using to find me. On Demeter VI we have these huge mutated rat-roaches that live in the sewers. They were genetically engineered to eat all the waste that ends up down there, but occasionally an unlucky vagrant or sewer engineer would end up as rat-roach chow. I went down into the sewer one day and fed the stolen item to a rat-roach. As far as I know Okchov is still down in the sewers back on Demeter VI looking for the damn thing!” Clover chuckled.

“Or he’s rat-roach chow!” the Doctor laughed.

“I don’t know who I’d feel more sorry for; Okchov or the rat-roach!” Clover agreed.

“What’s a Sontaran?” Sly wondered.

At that moment a lance of red light streaked out of the forest and struck the tree next to where the Doctor was walking. The tree caught fire and splinters of wood sprinkled the air in all directions.

One of the splinters struck Clover on the side of the head and she dropped to the ground stunned, a trickle of blood oozing from her forehead.

“Get down, Sly!” the Doctor shouted.

Sly, however, was already sprinting as fast as his four legs could carry him away into the forest.

Well at least he’ll be safe, the Doctor thought as he knelt to examine Clover’s prone form.

He was relieved to find she was just mildly stunned and he took out a handkerchief and used it to stem the blood from the cut on her head.

While he did this three men in chainmail and leather jerkins with varying degrees of beardy hairiness emerged from the other side of the forest wielding what appeared to be medieval crossbows. On closer inspection it was obvious that each crossbow had been enhanced with some sort of laser projectile function.

“Don’t move or we’ll burn an ‘ole through ya!” the lead man with the most impressive beard snarled.

The Doctor had no intention of abandoning Clover to these ruffians.

“I’ll come quietly.” The Doctor assured them.

“Good! We’re going to take you to meet our Captain. I think he’ll want to have words with you!” the leader replied.

The Doctor finished tying his handkerchief around Clover’s head just as her eyes started to flutter open.

“Doctor, did you let me drink tequila again?” she moaned.

“Hush!” he soothed her gently, caressing her face with one hand. “We’re being taken prisoner. Can you walk?”

“I think so.” Clover nodded. The Doctor slowly helped her to her feet and they allowed themselves to be led away by their hairy captors.

 

Sly finally stopped running when he realised that he wasn’t being chased by any more flying fire.

He was rather disconcerted to discover that he was alone. Without meaning to he had left his mum and dad behind. He hoped that they were both okay. Really he should go back and look for them.

Sly turned and with his nose to the ground began to sniff his way back to where he had left his surrogate parents. He had not been walking long when his scent trail was interrupted by a new and exciting smell.

Sly looked up and saw a beautiful young vixen staring at him from the bushes to his left.

“Hello!” Sly called to her timidly.

The vixen seemed startled to hear such a human utterance escape from Sly’s foxy lips. She turned and disappeared back into the forest.

“No wait! Come back!” Sly called after her. He gave chase.

 

“Those are very interesting crossbows you have there.” The Doctor was making conversation with their captors as they marched. “May I ask where you got them from?”

“None of your business!” the hairiest ruffian growled.

“I don’t know much about the middle ages, Doctor, but I’m reasonably sure that they’re not supposed to have lasers!” Clover observed quietly.

“I know.” The Doctor agreed. “This is very similar to what happened when the other me was here, but Linx was killed. Could there be another Sontaran?”

“What are the chances of two Sontarans crash landing in the same area on the same planet?” Clover wondered.

“Very slim, unless there was a battle going on in orbit and two ships got shot down. Or perhaps we’re dealing with a Rutan this time? Or maybe there wasn’t a crash at all!” the Doctor’s discreet musings got louder as they progressed from one idea to another. It earned him a sharp nudge in the back from one of his captors.

“Shut it!” the ruffian snarled.

“Ow! There was no need for that!” the Doctor winced painfully.

“If there wasn’t a crash then…?” Clover prompted.

The Doctor returned to his more discreet tone.

“Maybe a Sontaran landed here deliberately, searching for Linx.” He suggested.

“And why would he make weapons for the local douche bags if he didn’t have to?” Clover pointed out.

“A very good question indeed!” the Doctor replied. Out loud, and he got another painful jab for his trouble!

An arrow whistled out of the undergrowth and thudded into the neck of one of their captors. The ruffian fell dead to the floor, clutching at the arrow with a gurgled croak.

“Run, Doctor!” a male voice shouted from the bushes.

The Doctor was caught in a dilemma. He wanted to be taken to the leader of the bandits, but at the same time someone was going to a lot of trouble to rescue him. It would be rude not to at least try and escape.

With that decision made he shoved the nearest ruffian to the ground while he was distracted by the death of his companion.

“Run, Clover!” and with those words he took off at a sprint into the forest. “Split up! I’ll meet you back at the TARDIS!”

Clover took down the other bandit with a round house kick to his testicles that brought him screaming to his knees. She then took off in the other direction.

“Split up he says! Everyone knows that’s a bad idea!” she grumbled as she ran.

Already she could hear the shout of pursuit behind her.

“Stop or I’ll shoot!” the shout came first and then it was followed by the crackling sizzle of a laser bolt that whizzed past her ear and ignited the tree just ahead of her.

It was not a miss. It was a warning shot. Clover stopped running and put her hands up into the air.

“Clever girl.” The ruffian said as he caught up with her and grabbed her wrist savagely.

“You’d better come and save me, Doctor!” Clover drawled to herself as she was led away.

 

The Doctor stopped running when he realised that no one was pursuing him. He had hoped that the bandits would chase after him, giving Clover the chance to get away and increasing his chances of getting recaptured. At least then he could have said that he tried to get away. They must have gone after Clover. Typical men. When all else fails chase the pretty girl. He should have seen it coming really. Hopefully she’s make it back to the TARDIS. He’d go along and see if she was there and then they could investigate this mystery together. But what if they’d caught her? The Doctor’s blood ran cold at the possibility. He started to run in the direction of the TARDIS hoping that he’d find her there.

He didn’t get far before he saw a familiar figure standing ahead of him. A young blonde haired man, dressed rather like Robin Hood, much as Clover had been, but minus the hat. A quiver of arrows was slung across his shoulder and he carried a wooden long bow at his side. He smiled as the Doctor slowed down upon his approach.

“Hal?” the Doctor said uncertainly.

“Aye, Doctor it is I.” the young man beamed. “I never thought to see you again, yet here you stand before my very eyes.”

“You recognise me… but… my face…” the Doctor stammered.

“Your aspect may have changed, but the minute I saw you emerge from your magic blue box I knew it could be no one else. Are you not a wizard? The fact that you can change your face is not a surprise to me!” Hal told him with a chuckle.

“You saw us arrive then?” the Doctor realised.

“I see that young Sarah has also changed.” Hal replied.

“Oh no, that’s not Sarah… that’s Clover. She’s my best friend. I was just on my way to see if she was waiting for me by my box.” The Doctor explained.

“I fear that she may have been recaptured by Baron Vilayne’s men. I saw them make after her. Do not worry, Doctor. Now that you’re here we will defeat Baron Vilayne and rescue her!” Hal assured him.

“Baron Vilayne. He doesn’t sound like someone I’d want to meet.” The Doctor mused.

“You would be right.” Hal agreed. “Come, Doctor. We have much to discuss. A lot has happened since you were last here six weeks ago. I will take you to see Sir Edward.”

Six weeks, the Doctor thought to himself, a lot has happened indeed! He allowed Hal to lead the way.

 

Sly followed the heady scent of the vixen through the forest undergrowth. In the back of his head he knew that he should be looking for the Doctor and Clover, but the desire to pursue this young female fox had over-ridden all other considerations. He must find her and he must catch up with her. He must! Nothing else mattered.

Sly finally caught up with her in another of the forest’s clearings. The little vixen was curled up in a defensive ball at the base of an old and large oak tree. A huge slathering and snarling grey wolf was standing over her and seemed intent on ripping her to pieces where she stood. The vixen seemed too terrified to even run, let alone fight back.

Sly was compelled to do something to help, but what could he do? The vixen had been startled by Sly’s ability to speak… perhaps the wolf would be too. But what should he say? Then Sly remembered what his mum, Clover used to shout in order to frighten off the cats that would sometimes poop on their lawn.

“Oi! You there! Fuck off!!!” he yipped as loudly as he could.

The wolf’s head whipped around to look where the noise had come from. Its eyes widened in surprise at the sight of a second fox.

“Yes I mean you, you little turd! Fuck off out of here!” Sly shouted again.

The wolf’s ears folded back against its head and its tail drooped between its legs. It was uncertain what to make of this strange animal that made noise like a human. The wolf slinked off slowly into the forest, looking back over its shoulder at Sly as it went.

Sly trotted into the clearing.

“And don’t come back!” he called after the retreating wolf.

The vixen was standing up and looking at him with curious eyes. She trotted up to Sly and walked in a circle around him, sniffing him as she went. Sly also sniffed at her. He liked the way that she smelled. When the vixen licked him he smiled. She had accepted him.

It was that moment that a rabbit decided to hop into the clearing.

Sly and the vixen saw it together and looked at each other. The rabbit saw them and immediately turned and fled the clearing.

They gave chase.

 

The Doctor was surprised when instead of being taken to Sir Edward’s castle as he was expecting, he was taken to a well hidden cave deeper into the forest.

“I don’t understand.” The Doctor said with uncertainty. “I thought that you were taking me to see Sir Edward?”

“Indeed I am, Doctor.” Hal replied with a cryptic smile.

The entrance to the cave was obscured by a lot of overgrown greenery. Shrubs, ivy and other overhanging vegetation which concealed the natural opening like a curtain.

Hal pulled aside this curtain of foliage to reveal a man and a woman sat upon logs, playing cards around a small makeshift wooden table along with a couple of armed men wearing chainmail. Two more such men stood at the entrance on sentry duty, each wielding a spear and a sword.

The man and woman were both in their forties or fifties and wore the finery of a noble lord and his lady, though weeks of rough living had taken some of the shine out of the silk. They both stilled carried themselves with great dignity and good humour despite their surroundings. The man looked up and smiled at Hal’s return.

“How goes it, young Hal? Who is this stranger that you bring with you?” he asked amiably.

“I bring you glad tidings, my lord. This is the Doctor, returned to help us once more!” Hal told him.

“This man does not look like the Doctor who aided us against Irongron.” The lady stated doubtfully.

“I tell you it is he, my lady. He rides in the magic blue box that I spoke of. I witnessed his arrival with my own two eyes. I would swear it is him. Is he not a wizard? Why should he not wear a different face?” Hal insisted.

Sir Edward stood up and walked over to the Doctor, looking him up and down appraisingly.

“You’re younger than before, but I still see great wisdom in your eyes. If you are indeed the Doctor, tell me… how did you defeat Irongron?” he asked.

“Irongron was defeated when his castle was destroyed by the departure of Linx’s space ship. All of his magical weapons were completely obliterated in the same explosion.” The Doctor replied.

“Good Lord! You may not look like the Doctor, but you certainly speak like him. I’m convinced!” Sir Edward said with a smile.

“Now that we’ve got that out of the way I don’t suppose you mind telling me how you come to be living in this cave?” the Doctor wondered.

 

Clover had been taken by her captors to a nearby castle. She was marched in through the drawbridge entrance past two guards armed with the same laser crossbows as her hairy escorts.

The two sentries leered at Clover as she passed them. She didn’t have to imagine too hard what they were thinking. If she had anything to do with it they would not get the chance to do more than think about it.

Clover was taken into the main tower and led along a torch-lit corridor until they came to what could only be described as a throne room.

A banqueting table dominated the centre of the hall and at the furthest end there was a wooden throne upon which sat a short, but stocky man with a beast of a black beard. A round, red nose seemed to peer out from the mighty whiskers and his eyes were such a dark brown that they could almost be black. A mane of black naturally curly hair sat around his broad shoulders and he was dressed in fine purple silks, slightly tarnished by food stains. Another man with blonde hair and beard, wearing a tunic of tanned red leather stood at his side.

“Who is this?” the seated man asked as Clover was brought before him.

“We caught her in the forest, my lord. She was with another man, but he got away when Sir Edward’s archer killed Richard with an arrow.” The first ruffian explained.

“She has magic, my lord.” The other man continued. “Her clothes changed before our eyes. And she and the man came out of a magic blue box that appeared out of thin air. They also had a fox with them what could talk like a man.”

“What happened to the fox?” the seated man asked.

“It ran off into the forest when we first attacked.” The first ruffian told him.

“A pity. I would like to have seen a talking fox.” The big man lamented. “No matter. Let me see this other magic instead. Show me how you change your clothes, girl!”

“I have a name!” Clover retorted.

“I do not care what it is. Show me your magic!” the man demanded.

Clover glared at the big man with naked defiance. As she looked him over with appraising eyes she noticed a familiar rod-like device tucked into his belt. It was a Sontaran blaster.

“How did you come by a Sontaran weapon?” she asked.

“You know of the Sontaran? Are you his kin?” the man wondered. “It cannot be so. You are too fair of face to be the blood of that demon. Unless your beauty is a glamour intended to bewitch me? I would have you know that Baron Vilayne is not so easily enamoured, demon!”

“So you’re a baron, eh? I’m not impressed. And I’m not a demon.” Clover insisted.

“Show me your magic and mayhaps I will tell you of how I came to possess the Sontaran’s magic wand.” Vilayne offered.

Clover thought about it for a minute.

“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to show you what my clothes can do.” She conceded.

Clover concentrated and in an instant her Robin Hood attire transmuted into an exact copy of the garments worn by Baron Vilayne.

The two ruffians that held her and the fair haired man at Vilayne’s side thought this a merry jest and laughed heartily. Even Vilayne cracked a smile somewhere within that thicket of a beard. His eyes widened in awe of what he had seen.

“Impressive.” He said. “Do you think that you could use that magic to create a suit of impenetrable armour that I could conjure upon myself at will?”

“It wouldn’t be impossible.” Clover admitted.

“Excellent.” Vilayne replied approvingly. “Very well. You have earned the explanation that I promised.”

Clover gave the baron her full attention as he began his story.

“It were about a fortnight ago that the Sontaran’s star fell from the sky. I saw it come down from the window of my former castle. My men and I rode out at once to investigate. All the while Bloodaxe here warned me against it. He tells me it was a falling star and a Sontaran, like the one I have in my thrall, that brought doom upon his former captain, Irongron. But I am wiser than old Irongron and more cunning…” Clover noticed that the fair haired man, Bloodaxe, bristled with barely concealed anger at these words. “We arrived at the star in time to see the Sontaran demon emerge from it. He announced himself as a warrior and I have to say that, though he did indeed cut an imposing figure, I had the measure of him immediately and knew exactly how to play this demon like he were my own puppet. I challenged him to single unarmed combat, knowing that as a proud warrior he could not refuse. We wrestled and I will not lie… the demon’s strength far exceeded my own and I would have fallen were it not for a glancing blow that I landed the creature upon the back of his neck. That blow felled the Sontaran like a sparrow transfixed by an arrow. I feared that I had killed him, but he proved yet to be alive and more so, he was humbled by the fact that I, whom he believed to be his inferior, had bested him. It was this humility that I played upon to force him into doing my bidding. He toils in chains in my dungeons, making magical weapons such as the crossbows that spit fire which my men now wield. It is how I captured this castle from Sir Edward and when the king returns from the Holy Lands I will march upon him and seize the throne of England for myself!”

“The Sontaran may be in your thrall at the moment, but he is not going to want to be your slave forever. Sooner or later he will destroy you all and take his freedom.” Clover warned.

“Nonsense! I have dishonoured him by defeating him in combat. He lacks the spirit to rise against me and if he does we will destroy him with the same magic that he has given us.” Vilayne assured her.

“We’ll see.” Clover replied.

“Take her to the dungeon and put her with our guest. She can help him forge the magical armour which she has promised me.” Vilayne ordered.

“I’ll do it, my lord!” Bloodaxe offered and he took Clover by the arm to lead her out of the hall.

Clover twisted free and turned back toward Vilayne.

“I never promised you anything. I just said it was possible.” She retorted angrily.

Vilayne regarded her with those dark monstrous eyes.

“If you will not make me the armour then I will give you to my men as a plaything. Think on it on your way to the dungeon. I believe you’ll see sense soon enough.” He waved his hand dismissively and Bloodaxe led Clover out of the hall.

 

Once they were far enough away from the hall Clover was surprised when Bloodaxe decided to get chatty.

“You need not fear me, Miss. I wish no harm to come to you and I would help you if I can.” The man said in a low conspiratorial tone.

“Why are you with that shit stain if you want to help me?” Clover asked him as they began to descend a spiral stone staircase.

“I will not lie to you, Miss.” Bloodaxe confided. “I have done some terrible things in my life. I used to be in the service of another man, a great man, called Irongron. He too ran afoul of one of these Saracen demons not so long ago. My lord, Irongron tried to make a bargain with the thing to get magical weapons, the same what Master Vilayne has done, but it ended badly and Irongron lost his life for it. It is why I have had to seek a new master and the baron was good enough to take me in, but he is a terrible man and he does not respect me or the memory of my late master and friend, Irongron. Irongron may have been my master and he was an evil brute, make no mistake, but he were like a brother to me and I loved him as such. I have no such love for the baron. I am ready to give up my wicked ways and swear allegiance with Sir Edward if he will have me. I’m afraid that I am not cunning enough to come up with an escape plan of my own, but if I take you to see our prisoner, perhaps between the two of you a plan could be made.”

“Thank you, Bloodaxe.” Clover offered the fair haired brigand a smile.

They had reached the dungeon by this time and Bloodaxe took out a set of iron keys on a great ring. He selected the appropriate key and inserted it into the lock. With a turn of the key he unlocked the heavy oak wood door and pushed it open to allow Clover inside.

“I will come back later with food and water. The Saracen does not eat, but I’m sure you do, Miss. If by then you have come up with a plan of escape you can tell me of it.” Bloodaxe said as she entered.

“I’ll see you later.” Clover told him.

The door was closed behind her and locked.

Clover took a moment to ‘change’ into something more comfortable and the copy of Vilayne’s clothes that she had been wearing shifted into her more familiar red catsuit. She still had the Doctor’s handkerchief tied around her head, but the bleeding had stopped long ago and the throbbing pain she had felt had subsided to a dull, barely noticeable ache.

Clover turned and looked around at what the dungeon contained.

The space was lit by torches that hung on every wall. Benches and advanced equipment was dotted about wherever it would fit. All of it was much too advanced for the Middle Ages and was clearly alien in origin. A large iron ring was set into the floor and through this ring a great chain had been run. This chain was long enough to extend to anywhere within the room that the wearer might wish to roam. The wearer was a squat humanoid in silvery-grey space armour with three digits on each hand and a round domed hairless head the colour of wet mud. It turned to look at her and revealed an ugly pinched face with round blood red eyes, piggy nose and a harsh slit of a mouth. Its tongue flicked out briefly as if it were moistening its lips.

“Who are you?” it demanded in a harsh rasping voice.

“A friend.” Clover replied. “It looks like you need one.”

“I need no one. Why are you here?” the Sontaran insisted.

“I’m here to help you, if you’ll let me.” Clover reiterated.

“I am beyond help. There is no help for me.” The Sontaran retorted.

“Well there’s something I thought I’d never see… a Sontaran feeling sorry for himself.” Clover chided.

“You know of my species?” the Sontaran asked, suddenly interested.

“I have encountered one of your kind before. He was disgraced much like you are, but at least he didn’t whine like a little bitch about it!” Clover told him.

The Sontaran roared in anger and launched himself across the room at Clover.

She stepped back against the closed door and the furious Sontaran was brought up short by the chain around his left wrist. So there was somewhere in the room that the chain didn’t extend to, Clover observed.

The Sontaran strained against the chain in an effort to reach her, but quickly gave up. He sank to his knees and let out a frustrated roar of despair.

“If you are truly here to help me then perhaps you would do well as to destroy me and end my miserable existence!” he muttered quietly.

“What, and deny you the chance of dying gloriously on the field of battle?” Clover replied.

“I forfeited that chance when I allowed myself to be beaten in unarmed combat by a primitive!” the Sontaran spat bitterly.

“I can give you a chance to redeem yourself.” Clover promised. “Why don’t you start by telling me who you are?”

The Sontaran slowly rose to his feet again and drew himself up as straight as he dared as he presented himself.

“I am Captain Jax of the 5th Sontaran Army Space Fleet. One of my squadron, a worthy soldier by the name of Commander Linx was shot down by Rutan fighters during a skirmish in this solar system. After the battle I took it upon myself to come and search for him, but when I arrived here I was greeted by Baron Vilayne and his band of primitives. He challenged me to single unarmed combat; a challenge that I could not refuse. Victory should have been assured, but I made the mistake of presenting my back to him during the combat and he landed a fluke hit upon my probic vent. His victory was an accident, but it was still a victory. It was careless of me to allow it to happen. In my shame I agreed to help him make weapons so that he might become the supreme warrior on this dull planet. I deserve nothing more!”

“What happened to your ship?” Clover wondered.

“After I had taken from it what equipment I would need to help Baron Vilayne, I activated my ship’s cloaking system. It is still hidden out there in the forest. The primitive fools believe that I have sent it away using… ‘magic’!” he spat the last word with venomous derision.

“Then there is a way for you to return to your fleet if we escape from here.” Clover replied. “How would you like the chance for a rematch with Baron Vilayne?”

Jax smiled evilly. “Nothing would please me more!”

 

The chasing of the rabbit had been one of the most exhilarating experiences of Sly’s relatively short life. It had possessed something of a head start on them, but Sly and the vixen had hunted as a team. While Sly chased straight after it, the vixen sprinted on ahead, using the undergrowth for cover. She put on a burst of speed that brought her ahead of the rabbit and she positioned herself in the perfect spot for an ambush. Sly drove the rabbit towards where he could smell she was hidden and just as the terrified animal darted passed that area the vixen pounced. Her forepaws pinned the squirming rabbit to the ground and quick as a streak of red lightning she fastened her jaws at its neck and twisted until she felt it snap. The rabbit’s struggling halted instantly and it went limp.

Sly and the vixen tore the dead rabbit apart between them and exalted in the warm blood that spurted and painted their muzzles a darkly different shade of red. The young fox had never felt so excited, or alive in his whole life and the rabbit’s flesh tasted sweeter even than bacon. This was what life… what being a fox was all about.

After they had consumed the rabbit between them Sly was not a little surprised when the vixen began to lick his face clean of the blood that had stained him. He returned the favour and as he licked the blood from her, Sly found that his hunger had been replaced by another instinct entirely that he had never experienced before now…

 

The Doctor had listened patiently as Sir Edward had told him about how his castle had been attacked by a robber baron named Vilayne whose men had been armed with crossbows that shot fire instead of arrows. Sir Edward had known that there was no way that they could fight such magic and so he had ordered his men to retreat using the secret escape tunnel hidden in the bowels of the castle.

The tunnel led out into the self-same cave that they now resided in. Sir Edward was confident that Vilayne would not be able to find the secret entrance back at the castle, but nevertheless had posted sentries in the tunnel just in case.

“Well it seems to me that there is only one way that you can get your castle back off this Baron Vilayne.” The Doctor told him afterwards.

“Indeed, Doctor? Speak of it and we shall do it!” Sir Edward prompted.

“Hal and I will lead your men back into the castle through the secret tunnel and reclaim your home from within. It’ll be the last thing that they’ll ever expect you to do and they won’t be prepared for it.” The Doctor assured him.

Sir Edward was slack jawed at the sheer simplicity of the Doctor’s proposal.

“Do you really think you can do this?” he asked daring not to hope.

“With Hal and the element of surprise on our side I really cannot see how we could fail!” the Doctor replied with a confident grin.

 

“Escape will be easy.” Jax was assuring Clover. “The only thing that has kept me a prisoner here is my shame at being defeated by Vilayne. Now that you have helped me to overcome that there is nothing more keeping me here.”

“That’s great, but before you do escape can we wait for Bloodaxe to return with our food and water?” Clover asked.

“I have no need of their primitive sustenance.” Jax sneered.

“Maybe not, but that’s not why I want us to wait for him.” Clover told him. “Bloodaxe is on our side. He too feels… dishonoured by Vilayne and only works with him out of necessity. He is willing to join us if we come up with a plan of escape.”

“Very well. We shall wait for him.” Jax agreed with a little reluctance. He was eager to be free now that he no longer felt burdened by his earlier shame.

They did not have to wait long. Very shortly they heard the sound of the key being turned in the lock and the heavy wooden door was pushed open to reveal Bloodaxe bearing a tray of mouldy looking bread with a flagon of water.

“Have you come up with a plan of escape then?” the brigand asked as he pushed the cell door closed behind him.

“We have!” Jax replied. He strode over to one of the work benches where a couple of the laser crossbows were sat. Jax picked one up and aimed it at the chain that held him. He pulled the trigger and a red bolt of energy zipped out and severed the iron links. Jax had deliberately kept some of the chain attached to his wrist. He had plans for it and so wrapped it around his forearm so that it would not dangle.

The Sontaran then tossed the crossbow to Clover who caught it deftly.

Bloodaxe observed all of this in astonishment as he realised just how easily the ‘Saracen’ could have escaped had it wished to.

“Take one of the crossbows for yourself and follow us.” Jax instructed the brigand gruffly.

Bloodaxe wordlessly did as he was told.

Together they exited the dungeon and started off towards the throne room.

 

“More wine, wench!” Vilayne bellowed so loud that the serving woman jumped and nearly dropped the pitcher of wine that she carried.

Despite her dirty and unkempt appearance the young woman’s beauty was not lost upon Vilayne as she sidled up to him nervously and refilled his tankard. He leered at her and considered asking her to perform another more intimate task when suddenly he was distracted from his lechery by a sound that had grown familiar in recent days.

The sizzling hiss of the fire bolts that were unleashed from Jax’s magic crossbows was unmistakable and Vilayne could hear several of them right now echoing through the stone walls of the castle.

Vilayne bolted up from his throne, shoving aside the poor hapless serving girl in the process.

“What is happening? Why do I hear shooting?” he demanded, though there was no one present that could answer him.

An answer came soon enough anyway when one of his men ran urgently into the hall.

“My lord, the prisoners are free!” he cried.

A crimson bolt of energy lanced through the entry way into the hall and burned a hole through the soldier’s back with a complete disregard for the chainmail that he wore. The man screamed once and then pitched forward onto the stone floor, dead before he hit it.

Vilayne tugged free the ‘magic wand’ that he had taken from Jax just moments before the Sontaran entered the hall flanked by the young woman with the magic clothes and by… Bloodaxe! Betrayed! He was betrayed by one of his own. Bloodaxe would pay dearly for his treachery!

“Cover the entrance.” Jax ordered. “I have a score to settle with the Baron!”

Clover and Bloodaxe obediently took up positions where they could defend the door from attack.

Jax advanced menacingly towards the baron, allowing the chain to unravel from around his wrist as he went.

Vilayne raised the ‘wand’ and prepared to fire.

Jax was now trailing the heavy length of chain behind him as he closed in on the baron, apparently unperturbed by the fact that Vilayne was about to shoot him.

Vilayne pulled the trigger and a scarlet beam of light burst forth from the tip of the weapon… and struck the ceiling above where the baron stood, showering him with chips of rock and masonry.

Believing the weapon to be a wand had dictated to Vilayne just how he held the rod-like device, so instead of holding it with the barrel pointed at Jax he had in fact had it pointing upwards, not unlike a magician with a magic wand.

Vilayne cursed and corrected his grip of the weapon so that his next blast would strike the Sontaran.

However, his mistake had given Jax the opening he needed and the baron did not get the chance to fire again.

Jax swung the length of chain upwards as effortlessly as if he had been swinging a skipping rope and the end of the chain coiled around the wrist of Vilayne’s hand which held the weapon.

The Sontaran pulled hard on the chain, one-handed, which caused Vilayne to lose his balance and topple forward. The pain of the chain constricting his wrist caused him to drop the rod-like weapon and he was brought down hard upon his knees.

Jax came around behind the fallen baron and wrapped the coils of chain tightly around Vilayne’s neck until the baron’s eyes threatened to burst forth from his skull.

“Now this…” Jax sighed with contentment. “This is more like it.”

He twisted both ends of the chain in opposite directions until there was a sickeningly audible crack and Vilayne went limp.

Jax bent to retrieve his rod gun and used it to blast the manacle from around his own wrist before allowing the baron’s corpse to drop. He then raised the weapon and pointed it towards Clover and Bloodaxe.

“Put down the crossbows and slide them across the floor as far away from you as possible.” He instructed.

Clover glared at the Sontaran with contempt, but did as she was told, as did Bloodaxe.

Jax depressed a button on the bottom of his blaster and its tip glowed briefly whilst emitting a low electronic hum.

Almost immediately the castle reverberated with several miniature explosions as all of the modified crossbows self-destructed in a ball of flame that would have killed Clover and Bloodaxe had they still been holding theirs.

“I think you’ll find that all resistance has been overcome.” Jax smirked as he returned his weapon to his belt.

Clover continued to glare at him, but this time there was the twinkle of a smile behind it.

“You didn’t think I was going to double cross you now, did you?” Jax drawled.

“The thought never even entered my mind.” Clover replied with a knowing smile.

It was that moment when the wall at the back of the throne room decided to open.

Jax turned, pulling out his blaster to face whoever would emerge. The trio waited with baited breath… and then the Doctor’s head popped around the open wall.

At first he seemed a little startled by the tableau that met him, but this expression soon gave way to a cheery smile.

“Hello! I do hope we’re not too late?” he declared. “You see, we’ve come to rescue you!”

 

Soon after Sir Edward and Lady Eleanor had been returned to the comfort of their castle, the Doctor, Clover, Hal and Bloodaxe helped Captain Jax to move all of his equipment from the dungeon and back into his ship. Once that was done it came time for the Sontaran to depart, but not before the Doctor had given him a full and honest report on the fate of Commander Linx.

Jax stood outside the open door of his silver-grey golf ball shaped ship with his helmet tucked under his arm as he received the Doctor’s report.

“It seems that Commander Linx died honourably in his effort to try and return to the fleet. I see no reason for my people to return here and exact retribution upon this planet. I also appreciate the help that the female gave me in breaking me free of the metaphysical chains I had placed upon myself. I can assure you that I am one Sontaran that the planet Earth need ever be concerned about.” Jax assured them.

“That’s good to hear.” The Doctor said with a smile.

“Good bye, Jax. I hope that you make it back to your fleet safely.” Clover said.

“Safely?” Jax grinned before lowering his helmet over his head. “Where would be the fun in that?”

And with those words he stepped into his ship and the door swung closed behind him.

Everyone stood back as the ship’s engines fired up and the silver sphere rose into the air steadily before rocketing off into the sky back to outer space.

After that the Doctor decided that he and Clover should return to the TARDIS. Perhaps Sly would be waiting for them there.

They were escorted through the forest by Hal and Bloodaxe.

Bloodaxe could not stop gushing about how grateful he was to have been accepted into Sir Edward’s service, especially after Clover and Jax had put in a good word for him.

“I promise you, Doctor, I am a changed man. You will not see any more trouble from me again or may my eyes be put out with hot coals!” the former brigand was saying as they neared the clearing that the TARDIS had landed in.

“I should hope not, though I really do hope that the hot coals will not be necessary!” the Doctor replied as he shuddered at the mental image.

Thankfully the bizarre sight of the tall blue box in the clearing was enough to still Bloodaxe’s tongue.

The Doctor and Clover were over joyed to see Sly safe, alive and well, waiting for them outside the police box. However, he was not alone. There was another fox, a vixen, with him. The two foxes stood close together side by side and were nuzzling each other affectionately.

When he saw the Doctor and Clover approaching Sly stood up and wagged his tail happily, but he did not leave the vixen’s side.

“You are alive! I thought I might find you here!” the little fox yipped.

“We were worried about you too!” Clover beamed.

She and the Doctor got down on one knee and made a fuss of their foxy friend and he lapped it up ecstatically, returning their affection with lots of wet licks.

“Who’s your new friend?” the Doctor asked.

Sly became a little sad at the mention of his companion. He disengaged from the Doctor and Clover’s fussing and went to stand with her again.

“I need to talk to you about that.” He said solemnly.

“Go on.” The Doctor prompted gently.

“I cannot tell you my friend’s name as she does not speak like I do and I’m not sure if fox names translate all that well into English. It is enough that you know that in the short space of time that I have known her she has shown me much of what it is to be a fox. We hunted together, tasted the fresh blood of a kill together… mated together. I love it here, mum and dad… I love her. This is where I’m supposed to be. Not travelling in time and space, but here in this forest, with her. And I want to stay.” Sly told them. “Please don’t be angry with me. I would like it very much if you allowed me to stay.”

“Angry?” the Doctor replied as he fought back the tears that welled in his eyes. “Why would we be angry?”

“I know how much it meant to you both to have me travel in the TARDIS with you. I have tried to love it as you do, but I cannot. Here is what I love and I would stay here if you allow it.” Sly explained. He could not shed tears, but the anguish in his little voice was painfully apparent.

“Oh, Sly!” Clover sobbed as she allowed her own tears to spill forth. “All we want is for you to be happy. We’re both so proud of you right now. You’ve come so far in such a short space of time. Of course you can stay here!”

“On one condition!” the Doctor proclaimed sternly.

“Yes?” Sly asked worriedly.

“You let us come back and visit the cubs when they are born.” The Doctor replied with a smile and he permitted a solitary tear to traverse his cheek.

“Of course.” Sly yipped happily and he ran to them again and licked their faces in gratitude.

“There is one more thing that I would ask.” The fox said at last.

“Name it!” the Doctor replied.

“I don’t think that I should be a talking fox anymore.” Sly stated.

“Are you sure, Sly?” Clover asked.

“Yes. I do not wish to attract any unwanted attention.” Sly assured her.

“Easily rectified.” The Doctor told him. He took out his sonic sword and ran it over the little fox briefly. The device emitted a low hum.

“Try to talk now, Sly.” The Doctor prompted.

Sly barked and when he realised that it wasn’t words that were coming out he barked again and wagged his tail happily.

“You’re welcome, son.” The Doctor smiled.

“I will ask Sir Edward that foxes be protected from the hunt when it ventures to ride into the forest.” Hal assured them all with a smile. Nothing about the Doctor surprised him anymore, but Bloodaxe had been slack jawed in amazement throughout the entire touching exchange and had even shed a tear himself.

It was finally time to say good bye.

The Doctor and Clover bid farewell to Sly and his mate one last time and said their goodbyes to Hal and Bloodaxe too before entering the TARDIS and closing the door behind them.

“You’ll like this part, friend Bloodaxe.” Hal winked at the former brigand with a smile.

Sly barked and wagged his tail in agreement.

Bloodaxe blanched with terror and nearly took flight when a terrifying wailing and grinding noise filled the air and the mysterious blue box faded from sight.

“Oh yes, Lord! I will definitely be a good man from now on I swear!” Bloodaxe oathed under his breath before he and Hal turned and began the walk back to Sir Edward’s castle.

Sly and his mate trotted of in the other direction and melted away into the forest to start their new life together.

 

**The End**


End file.
